3 - The role of plants and plant secondary metabolites as selective nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO), an endogenous important signaling molecule, is being placed inside the cell and also between cells of the plants, animals, and bacteria cells. It participates in almost all cellular and bodily functions; it has a significant role in homeostasis in the regulation of the central nervous system, gastrointestinal, respiratory, genital, and urinary systems such as micro- and macrovascularization, inhibition of platelet aggregation, and neurotransmission. However, the overproduction of NO is implicated in some diseases such as arthritis, asthma, cerebral ischemia, and Parkinson's diseases besides neurodegeneration. Therefore, to have a proper understanding of the molecular mechanisms on the induction of NO on these diseases, the interest in studying therapeutic nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors has increased. This chapter provides an overview of the main advances in design strategies, the mechanism of action at the molecular level, and the search for selective NOS inhibitors from plants and plant secondary metabolites.